What is Academic Advising?

Academic Advising is meant to provide guidance, assistance, advice and a clear understanding on your academic courses, degree requirements, major, class registration, etc. You’re not in this process alone – your Academic Advisor is here to help! Besides helping you make appropriate course selections when you register for the spring and fall semesters, your first-year advisor is there to:

Help you identify campus resources that can help you deal with academic or personal difficulties

Discuss how to address academic difficulties if your professors have expressed concern for your progress in the academic alert process, or if you have been placed on probation

Help you develop problem-solving skills, exercise independent judgment, and assume responsibility for your own academic success

It will also be your First-Year advisor’s objective to make sure that you feel more comfortable with:

Appreciating the value of liberal learning

Incorporating self-reflection into your higher education

Registering for classes that best meet your curricular and intellectual needs

Planning not just for semester classes, but four year planning

Who is my first-year Advisor?

Pace’s Comprehensive First Year Advising Program (CFAP) is designed to support our first-year students through the length of their first year. In your first year, your advisor will not be someone you meet with only before registration. In your first semester, you will see your advisor every week! That’s because your advisors will also be your first-year instructors in University 101. Your advisors are drawn from our full-time faculty and staff who have played a vital role in the Pace community.

Your one-on-one sessions with your UNV 101 Advisor should extend the conversation begun in class. Even after UNV 101 is over, your instructor will be your advisor for the full year. Take the opportunity to form a relationship with your advisor and explore together how you can put into practice what you discuss in class.

How do I schedule an appointment with my advisor? With the First Year Experience Office?

When meeting with your UNV 101 Advisor in the classroom on a weekly basis, you will be required to schedule a minimum of two appointments a semester. Speak with your Advisor in class, e-mail, call, or drop by during their office hours to schedule an individual appointment. We encourage you to meet with your Advisor more than twice if you need additional assistance, guidance or just want to talk.

Additionally, the Office of the First Year Experience can answer any advising questions you may have. Professional Advisors serve as a supplemental resource to your UNV 101 Advisor.

What if I am Undecided?

The path to choosing a major can be different for everyone; for some, the answers will become clear within a short period of time, while for others, it will take longer to investigate and take the needed steps to finalize this decision. In any case, Advisors in the Advising Center for Exploring Majors are available to help students throughout this personal journey.

The mission of the Advising Center for Exploring Majors is to help undecided students explore their interests, skills and goals so that they can make an informed choice of major at Pace University. Committed to holistic advising, the Center serves as the primary academic advising office for students who are undeclared or changing majors, assisting with advising issues that will help them make a successful transition to the colleges and schools of the University. Through individual advisement sessions and self-assessments aimed at fostering greater self-understanding of personal, academic, and professional goals, the Center helps these students move purposively toward graduation.

Your Advisor will then need to sign off on the form, in addition to a representative from the Dept. of the major you would like to declare. Turn this form into OSA, and check your Portal to make sure the change is reflected.

How do I register for classes for my spring semester? Summer classes?

Before registering, you need to make sure you are prepared:

Review Core and Major Requirements (refer to the worksheets and handouts from your UNV class)

Draft a preliminary schedule on a blank schedule grid using the Schedule Explorer to locate each course name, CRN, day and time

Meet with your advisor!

Take care of any outstanding Holds on your student account (see below)

Know your Registration date; your date and time will be posted on your Portal

Possible Holds that will prevent you from registering on time:

*All students have an FYE Hold until they meet with their First-Year Advisor for course approval.

Type

Cause

FYE

Haven't met with advisor

Library

Owe library material and/or overdue fees

OSA

Tuition has not been paid in full

HS Transcript

Final high school transcript has not been sent

MMR Immunization

Immunization records have not been set

Housing Discipline

Unresolved housing discipline situation

If you are interested in taking summer or winter classes, this can be discussed with your UNV 101 Advisor – you might need to make a separate appointment, as registration dates for these sessions differ from Fall/Spring.

What is Academic Probation?

A student is placed on academic probation each semester that his or her overall GPA drops below 2.0. Students are taken off probation when they raise their GPA above 2.0. Freshmen who are on academic probation in the spring are at risk for falling behind or worse, for failing or dropping out of college.

Keep the following in mind to prevent yourself from ending up on probation:

Poor study habits: When you have poor grades in all or in a number of courses, it is not always just your ability to do the work, but possibly your motivation, self-discipline and time management.

Ability: When you have performed poorly in courses that require certain skills, go to the Learning Assistance Center or the office hours of your professor. Motivation or study habits might not be the issue as much as aptitude.

Adjustment: Doing poorly due to trouble adjusting to college from high school. This may or may not persist - so talk to an advisor or make an appointment with the Counseling Center.

Employment: We understand that students may not only go to college, but work too. However, working too many hours is counterproductive. You lose far more than you gain, both economically and educationally. If it’s not possible for you to reduce the number of hours/weeks you work, explore the possibility of reducing the number of courses/credits you take, but keeping in mind financial aid will be affected if you switch to part-time (below 12 credits).

Choice of major: Sometimes, a major is selected due to wrong information, parental pressure, and pressure to select a major, or any variety of reasons that do not reflect a mature and self-aware choice. Sometimes, poor performance may be tied to doubt about your major choice or pressure you feel to pursue something that does not interest or suit you. Talk to an advisor, or think about taking our Exploring Majors and Careers course during your first or second year.

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